A video showing the passenger on a Southwest Airlines flight from Albuquerque to Phoenix inside an overhead bin. But while such behavior could currently be risky for oneself and others, it is not certain that in the future this area will become a space where travelers can unwind and relax during the flight.
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It’s not the first time a video like this has made the rounds on the web. In 2019, a flight attendant – also on Southwest – was filmed peeking out of the baggage space above the seats. At the time, the airline released a statement saying the crew member was enjoying “a brief moment of enjoyment”, before confirming that “this is not our normal procedure”. A Southwest representative told CNN Travel that the airline is “aware” of the incident last week and is currently “looking into the matter.”
Because it’s not a good idea
Given that passengers are advised to remain in their seats for the duration of air travel – usually with their seatbelt fastened – it is obvious that climbing into the overhead bin is not a good idea. As British flight attendant Kris Major told CNN Travel, the overhead bin “is not a certifiable place to be as a passenger”. “In turbulence they could get hurt and if they fell they could also hurt someone below them,” Major says, further adding that a passenger in an overhead bin would not have access to an oxygen mask in an emergency.
His words are echoed by Guido van Geenen, vice president of corporate communications at overhead bin supplier Diehl Aviation, who says that although the lockers are designed to accommodate “quite a bit of weight”, this does not mean that they are a safe place for passengers. “They are designed to securely hold passenger bags, but are not made for napping. Even getting in and out of an overhead bin can be dangerous,” says van Geenen.
The future of hat boxes
While the airplane overhead bin is currently off-limits to passengers, some futuristic airplane cabin designs reimagine this area as a space where travelers can kick back and relax during the flight.
Take for example Toyota Boshoku’s CLOUD CAPSULE project, which envisions the area above the economy seat as an additional space for passengers to retreat to once the plane reaches cruising altitude. In 2021, this project was nominated for a Crystal Cabin Award, a prestigious aeronautical design award.
While this concept may seem futuristic, the idea of passengers using space in overhead lockers has some precedent. As early as the 1950s, travelers flying Pan American Airways across the Atlantic on the Boeing 377 Stratocruiser could sleep in overhead bins during the flight.
Major says flight attendants are “always looking out for future developments,” but suggests that the crew focus more on making overhead bins bigger to accommodate more luggage, rather than adapting them to accommodate passengers. “Carry-on baggage is one of the biggest problems flight attendants face,” he says, noting that on most flights, overhead locker space is “a precious resource.” “And they are often so full of travellers’ bags and personal items that the idea of even one person cramming in there is ridiculous.”
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